Henry14 - Q1. l think an arsenal take over is really on the cards, it might not happen as early as some reports suggest but rumours that some Russian guy and a whole lot of Dubai guys will not go unchallenged. With the money the share holders want and all the stadium liabilities, l really can not see the American guy as a possible bidder, because anyone to take over Arsenal should be prepared to lose and then gain in the long run. What is your take on that?
Q2 l think Ade is made to look like a villain, but l think the guys who run African soccer embezzle quite a large sum of money and to have players not paid for two years is a shame. l think the problem would occur even with England but because they take care of that it’s under control. If any civil servant can go on strike why can't footballers. l really think African football really has to change in administrations.

Bobby – Q1. All clubs are sold eventually but I don’t see Arsenal being sold in the near term.
Q2 A total lack of organization has been major drawback for a lot of African countries and until it is fixed an African country will never win the World Cup.

Bigdave disaster - I’m late in writing this but your comment about Portuguese reporters "falling down" was amazing and I'm curious if you got a letter from the Portuguese associated press? or were you simply fined by FSCFA for disparaging remarks?

With the television contract now signed by the EPL and the mess in Italy do you see the EPL becoming the highest paying league in Europe? and is that why we began to here all the rumors about a weekly player salary cap?

Bobby – Carlos did threaten to send me to the stands. As far as I know the Ppremiership is the highest paid league in the soccer world. You will find some players in other leagues getting higher salaries but I doubt that the average salary would be higher.

Mistafantastic – What's your opinion of one, Landon Donovan? It frustrates me to the core that he can play as brilliantly as he did Sunday, but when he's needed most he folds up. His lack of heart & commitment to stick it out in Europe is another sore subject & NOW comes the news that he doesn't want to play in either the Gold Cup or Copa America this summer so he can stay & help the Galaxy! With all the great young talent the US has now, why must they continue to force him down our throats as the "Golden Boy" of US footy? Any opinions? Thanks!

Bobby – Donovan on his day can be a match-winner at any level. However, because he has done it in the past then many expect him to do it everytime and he is never going to be a player of that caliber. He has fantastic pace, he is a good finisher and tactically he appears to be sound. Inconsistency will be the hallmark of his career but because he is a potential game breaker he will always be a first choice for the USA. “Mercurial” might be a good description of him which is a lot better than being an “enigma.” A Scottish commentator once described former internationalist Jim Bett as an enigma and went on to say that it was just a nice way of saying that Bett had played a good game about five years before and everyone was waiting for him to have another.

Realmadridccfan - 1. What is your favourite and least favorite play by play soccer commentator right now? 2. With the Copa America this summer, what do you think are the best hopes for Mexico and the United States at this tournament? 3. Do you think that Jose Mourinho is actually done like dinner at Chelsea and move in years end to Real Madrid CF?

Bobby – 1. Favourite is Martin Tyler by a country mile. Another I enjoy listening to because he has a very understated delivery is John Helm. As for the least favourite it would have to be Ian Darke – the man must wake up each morning in mid-sentence, he never shuts-up.

2. I am assuming Mexico will send a full team and will qualify for the knock out stage. It looks as if the USA will be hampered by sending a squad without any MLS players but with up to three teams qualifying then one win can almost put you through. in passing I did hear that Argentina will be taken a squad made up completely of home based players to Copa America.

3. My money is on a Mourinho move during the summer but on the other hand I would not be surprised if he stayed either. When he moved to Chelsea he made mention of coaching in Italy one day and I think that is a more likely destination for him than Spain.  

The British Sport Book Awards were announced yesterday. In the Best Autobiography category Paul McGrath, Back from the Brink was the winner. Leo McKinstry's Sir Alf won the  
Best Football Book.

Under 20 update from Tuesday evening - Hyundai Under 20 men's national team presented by Yahoo! Canada 1-2 Scotland. And we wonder why the European media make fun of North American soccer!!

The British Sports Book awards are due to be announced tomorrow (Tuesday) at a luncheon in London. Some of the football books that have been nominated are:

Best autobiography
Tommy Docherty: The Doc, My Story — Hallowed Be Thy Game.
Gordon Strachan: My Life in Football
Paul McGrath: Back from the Brink (Century)

Best biography
Sir Alf by Leo McKinstry

In the best football book category are the following:
The Perfect 10 by Richard Williams
Foul! by Andrew Jennings
Sir Alf by Leo McKinstry
Behind The Curtain: Travels in Eastern European Football by Jonathan Wilson
The England Managers: The Impossible Job by Brian Scovell
Floodlit Dreams: How to Save a Football Club by Ian Ridley

Having read and enjoyed Sir Alf, Foul!, and Behind The Curtain: Travels in Eastern European Football it would be hard for me to pick a winner. If I was pushed I would go for Sir Alf by Leo McKinstry.

Given that I have never read a book by Ashley Cole, David Beckham or Frank Lampard, I can safely say that I have never read a soccer book that I didn't like. With the holidays approaching and the possibility of some free time being available here is a list of the books that I've acquired over last twelve months.

Any of you have other books that you might want to recommend?

“Foul”, By Andrew Jennings, published by HarperCollins.

“The Italian Job”, by Gianluca Vialli and Gabriele Marcotti, published by Random House.

“Behind the Curtain:Football in Eastern Europe”, by Jonathan Wilson, published by McArthur & Co.

“The Bonnie Prince-My Football Life”, by Charlie Cooke and Mark Knight, published by Mainstream Publishing Company.

"Best and Edwards,” by Gordon Burns, published by Faber and Faber Ltd.

"The Best of Charlie Buchan's Football Monthly,” edited by Simon Inglis, published by English Heritage.

"Forza Italia", by Paddy Agnew, published by Random House.

"’78 How a nation lost the World Cup," by Graham McColl, published by Headline Book Publishing.

"Morbo-the story of Spanish football," by Phil Ball, published by W.S.C. Books Ltd.

"The Leaguers -the making of professional football in England, 1900 – 1939," by Matthew Taylor, published by Liverpool University Press.

"Once in a Lifetime-the extraordinary story of the New York Cosmos," by Gavin Newsham, published by Atlantic books.

"tor!-the story of German football," by Ulrich Hesse-Lichtenberger, published by W. S.C. Books Ltd.

"The Thinking Fan's Guide to the World Cup," edited by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, published by HarperCollins books.

"The Lost Babes-Manchester United and the forgotten victims of Munich," by Jeff Connor, published by HarperSport.

"Sir Alf," by Leo McKinstry, published by HarperSport.

"Football and Fascism-the national game under Mussolini," by Simon Martin, published by Berg Publishers.

"Jackie Milburn-a man of two halves," by Jack Milburn, published by Mainstream Sport.

"Colin Bell-reluctant hero," by Colin Bell with Ian Cheeseman, published by Mainstream Publishing.

"My Father and other Working-Class Football Heroes," by Gary Imlach, published by Yellow Jersey Press.

"Garrincha,” by Ruy Castro, published by Yellow Jersey Press.

"Highbury - The Story of Arsenal in N. 5", by Jon Spurling, published by Orion Books.